Metallic casket



F. MESKER.

METALLIC CASKET. APPLICATION FILED MAH- 6. 19.17.

2 SHEETSSHEET I- F. MESKER.

METALLIC CASKET. APPLICATION FILED MAR- 6, Ian

1 ,327AA2. Patented Jan. 6, 1920. V

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FRANK MESKER, OF ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO MES'KER BROTHERS IRON COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

METALLIC CASKET.

Specification of Lietters Patent.

Patented. Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed March 6, 1917. Serial No. 152,815.

construction, and is designed particularly for use in caskets which are pressed or drawn from sheet metal.

One of the objects of my invention is to simplify so far as possible the casket con struction, while retaining the desirable features of design and of utility and increasing the inherent strength and stiffness, and thus provide a superior casket at a greatly decreased cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide a casket wherein the body portion is pressed or drawn from sheet metal, portions of said body portion being formed so as to materially strengthen and rigidify the entire body structure, and further, to provide a structure wherein it is possible to effect a perfect seal between the cover and the casket body, said cover being formed with a marginal head which serves as a reinforcing and stiffening element in addition to providing a groove or continuous chamber which serves to hold and conceal the sealing and'fastening means between said cover and body.

. lore specifically considered, the objects of my invention contemplate the'provision of a casket construction which will permit the use of the device either as a sealing or non-sealing casket; which reduces to a minimum the number of parts necessary in such a casket; which permits the pressing of thev parts entering into the construction out of metal sheets of the maximum size; which provides a casket of maximum strength and stiffness for its weight; which provides a casket of graceful contour and finish having the fastening devices concealed; and which. improves generally upon the construction of such articles. i

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top or plan View of my improved casket with the cover or lid in place;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view; 1

Fig. 3 is a detail illustrative of the lid latching device; A

Fig. i is a detail illustrative of the lid hinge; 3

Fig. 5 is a top view of a modified'form in which the lid is employed also as the sealer;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section of the modified form with the cover panel removed;

Fig. 7 is a detail showing one end of the cover panel; and a 8 is adetail illustrating the lid securing arrangement of the modified form. My invention contemplates the provision of a suitable body portion or wall 1 which is pressed out of sheet metal, and being formed with an outwardly projecting upper finishing bead 2 and with the foot or base finishing bead 4. The upper margin of the wall portion is turned inwardly from the upper portion of the bead 2 'to form the cover supporting flange 5, which is continuous and extends horizontally about the entire wall. The wall portion may be formed of sections welded together at their extremities, the proper sections being curved: longitudinally to form the body portion with curved or arcuate. ends without corners, and each section having its beaded portions integral with its wall portion. The lower portions of the base finishing beads 4 are con? nected by an integrally formed bottom wall oraplate a. To the undersurface of the cover supporting flange is secured a'stay strip 6 of thin bar material which acts as astifi'ener about theedge and aseat for the fastening devices 7 as hereinafter. de scribed. The continuous bead 2 at the upper extremity of the wall and the outwardly pressed finishing bead 4: at the lower extremity thereof form cooperating frame or" chord members which are connected by the straight portion of the wall, which arrangement gives the receptacle" a maximum stiffness against both bending and torsional stresses, and thus permits the use of a very light gage sheet metal which may be shaped at a low cost.

The cover or 'lid 11 is formed of a unitary sheet of metal which is drawn or pressed into the desired contour, and is of proper dimensions to overlap and rest upon the cover ,supportingflange 5. The main body portion of the cover 11 is convex upwardly so as to provide a graceful contour, and this main body portion terminates at and is encompassed by the marginal bead portion 12. This marginal bead portion is formed 1n the pressing operation andtakes a convex form upwardly from the termination of the mam body portion, and its outer margin then turns downwardly to form a supportmg edge which is of proper contour to make contact with the supporting flange 5 about the entire perimeter of the sealing cover 7. This marginal bead portion 12 acts as a stiffening frame for the cover, holding it against bending and twisting flexlons, and in addition, forming an artistic finish. A further mechanical purpose of themargina]. bead portion 12 is to form a housmg or receiving member for the lid fastenings. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the cover in place, and when in position it combines with the configuration of the body portion to produce a finished and artistic appearance.

In Figs. 3 and 4 are illustrated certain forms of cover fastenings. In Fig. 3 is illustrated the catch which is mounted at the free or swinging edge of the cover. It is in the form of a resilient strip 14. which is spot-welded. at one of its ends to the concave surface ofthe marginal rib portion 12. The body portion of the catch extends downwardly so that its lower extremity is adapted to pass through a slot 15 in the flange 5 contiguous to the stiffening member 6. A projecting lip 16 on the lower extremity of the catch member 1 1 is adapted to engage beneath the'stifi'ening member 6 under the springv tendency of the strip, while a short lever or handle member 17 extending from the outer side of the catch member 14 is adapted to pass through a slot at the lower margin of the rib 12, where it may be engaged by the end to spring the lip 16 away from and out of engagement with the sti-if ening member 6 to permit the raising of the cover.

1 The manner in which the cover may be hinged is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein it will be seen that a hinge member 18 in the form of a rigid strip is spot-welded within the concave portion of the rib 12 at one side of the lid, said hinge member having a portion 18 projecting below the lower margin of the rib 12 and adapted to pass through slots in the flange 5. The member 18 is curved outwardly and its extremity is adapted to engage under the adjacent stifl'ening member 6 when the cover is swung open. The engagement of the member 18 in the cover forms a hinge connection which permits the swinging of the cover on the body portion and the cooperation of the member 18 with the stiffening member6 forms a stop to limit the open swinging movement of the cover.

The sealing cover 7 is of such dimento register over the strip 6. A sealing strip of compressible material 9 is carried on the lower face of the strip 8, and at suitable intervals the overlapping portions are pierced for the reception of sealing or fastening members 10, which may be screw-seated in .the stay strip 6.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is illustrated a form of the invention in which no separate sealing cover is employed, the main or outer cover 11 being equipped to seal the receptacle. In this form the cover is equipped with a sealing flange 19 preferably in the form of an angle or channel bar which is spot-welded and soldered within the concave portion of the rib 12, so that its lower flange is horizontally disposed in a plane slightly below the lower outer edge of the marginal bead portion 12. This sealing flange carries on its lower face a sealing strip 20 of compressible material which is adapted to rest upon the cover supporting flange 5. The securing devices 21 are mounted on the rib 12 and are received in suitably formed portions of the flange 5 and'stay member 6 of the body portion. The flange 19 forms a reinforcement for the rib 12 to carry the compression exerted by the fastening devices, and under such compression the sealing strip 20 is forced firmly into engagement with the flange 5 continuously about the cover, forming a hermetic closure. In this embodiment of the invention, it may be desirable to provide a view aperture in the cover, and this may be done by cutting out of the convex portion of the cover a panel 22 of the desired size and form. Packing flanges 24 are welded and soldered to the lid about the opening so formed for the support of a glass panel 25. An end piece 26 is inserted to fill the space intermediate the crest of the cover and the end of the glass panel, which piece is provided with dowel seats in the form of indentations 27. The panel 22 which is cut out of the cover, is equipped at its inner end with a segmental piece 28' provided with dowels 29 in the form of proturberances which are adapted to register in the indentations 27. At its other extremity, the panel 22 is equipped with a catch 30 which is adapted for engagement with the cover to cooperate with the dowels 29 to holdv the panel cover in place to close the aperture over the and having a glass panel 25.

A casket constructed in this fashion may be produced at very low cost, as it employs but the three pieces, viZ., the body portion, the lid, and the sealing cover or panel cover, and all the parts may be pressed into form in rapid operations by the use of suitable dies. Moreover, by virtue of the construction a comparatively cheap grade of sheet metal may be employed,'as no great tensile strength is required in the material in order to permit its being shaped into the form illustrated, yet the structure as an entity has remarkable strength and stiffness because of the construction of the upper marginal bead and foot portions integral with each other, and their unbroken continuity about the entire receptacle due to the absence of corners. Thecover while likewise exceptionally light, is also particularly strong and stiff, and, when secured to the body portion, forms an added reinforcement therefor by virtue of the, construction of the integral stiflening rib 12.

I am aware that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. As a new article of manufacture in casket construction, a cover formed of sheet metal continuous marginal hollow bead portion of external convex contour, which continuous bead portion forms a stifiening frame for the cover, the outer part of said bead portion terminating in a substantially vertical flange which is adapted to directly engage a suitable support, anda reinforcing member arranged within sald hollow bead portion, a part of which reinforcing member is disposed substantially at right angles to the vertically -d1sposed outer part of said hollow bead portion.

2. In casket construction, a cover formed of sheet metal and having a continuous marginal hollow'bead portion of external convex contour, which continuous bead portion forms a stiffening frame for the cover, the outer part of said bead portion terminating in a substantially vertical flange whlch is adapted to directly engage a suitablesupport, a reinforcing member arranged within said hollow bead portion, a part of which reinforcing member is disposed substantially at right angles to the vertically disposed outer part of said hollow bead portion, and a sealing strip arranged on the underslde of said reinforcing member.

3. In casket construction, a cover formed of sheet metal and having a continuous marginal hollow bead portion of external convex contour, which continuous bead portion forms a stiffening frame for the cover, the outer part of said bead portion terminatmg is adapted to directly engage a suitable suport, a reinforcingmember arranged within said hollow bead portion, a part of which reinforcing member is disposed substantially at right angles to the vertically disposed outer part of said hollow bead portion, and

securing means carried by the marginal bead 1 portion and ing member.

4:- In casket construction, a cover formed of sheet metal and having a continuous marginal hollow bead portion of external convex contour, which continuous bead portion forms a stiflening framefor the cover, the outer part of said bead portion terminating in a substantially vertical flange which is adapted to directly engage a suitable support, a reinforcing member arranged within said hollow bead portion, a part of which reinforcing member is disposed substantially at right angles to the vertically disposed outer part of said hollow bead portion, a sealing strip arranged on the underside of said reinforcing member, and securing means carried by the marginal bead portion passing through said reinforcin a substantially vertical flange which and passing through the reinforcing meme her and the sealing member. 0

5. In a casket construction, a wall portion, an outwardly pressed bead portion formed integral with the wall portion and terminating in an inwardly presented flange, a cover member pressed from sheet metal and having its major portion pressed outwardly into convex conformation, and having a continuous marginal bead upstruck about said convex portion to provide a stiffening frame, said bead terminating within the peripheral area of the outwardly presented bead on the wall portion of the casket and including a peripheral portion adapted for contact with the'inwardly pre-' sented flangeto support the cover thereon, a sealing member within the continuous marginal bead on the cover, and fastening means carried by said continuous marginal on the wall of the body outside the reinforcing member on said flange.

The combination with a metallic casket body having an outwardly presented i finishing bead formed integral with the up per portion of its wall, said bead terminating in an inwardly presented horizontally disposed flange, of a cover formed of sheet metal and provided with a continuous marginal hollow ,bead, the outer portion of which terminates in a vertically disposed wall, the lower edge of which latter is adapted to rest directly on the horizontally disposed supporting flange, means carried by the bead portion of the cover for securing the'same to the horizontally disposed flange of the body portion, and means disposed within the head portion of the cover for sealing the joint between the cover and casket body portion.

8. A metallic casket comprising a metal body portion, the upper edge or" the wall of which terminates in an inwardly presented horizontally disposed flange, a reinforcing strip applied to the underside of said flange, a cover, the marginal edge of which terminates in an inverted channel-shaped bead portion, the outer wall of which bead portion is adapted to rest directly on the horizontally disposed supporting flange of the body of the casket, a horizontally disposed flange arranged within the marginal bead portion of the cover and projecting inwardly therefrom, a sealing strip on the underside of said flange within said body portion, which sealing strip is adapted to rest directly on the horizontally disposed flange of the body portion, and securing means carried by the marginal head portion of the cover andadapted to pass through the flange in said marginal bead, the seal ing strip, the horizontally disposed flange on the upper edge of the body, and the reinforcing strip on the underside of said last mentioned flange.

9. In metallic casket construction, the combination with a metallic casket body, the upper portion of the wall of which terminates in a continuous horizontally disposed inwardly projecting flange, and a reinforcing member applied to said flange, of a cover formed of sheet metal and provided with a continuous marginal inverted U-shaped bead, the outer portion of which terminates in a vertically disposed wall, the lower edge of which is adapted to rest directly upon the horizontally disposed flange on the wall of the body outside the reinforcing member on said flange, and means for securing said cover to said body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this second day of March, 1917.

FRANK MESKER.

GEO. F. STEPHENS. 

